Court drops charge against suspect in Bush Park fire

Two months after a fire broke out at George Bush Park, charges against the suspect have been tossed, KPRC-Channel 2 reports on Friday.

Lonnie Ray Henderson, 28, was quickly jailed on a charge of impersonating a public servant when police spotted him cruising inside the fire lines as flames chewed through the park west of Houston.

Henderson

Investigators said he was suspected of setting the fire since he was wearing fire gear and directing fire crews into the exact spot where the fire was set.

A Harris County grand jury has now reviewed the case and tossed out that impersonating charge.

His attorney told KPRC that Henderson was simply trying to protect his and his neighbor’s properties, and authorities were too anxious to crack the case, which came as wildfires burned across the state.

What it says to me is that we jump too quickly at what we see and what we hear. We should be more careful to investigate these things before jumping,” (attorney Don Hecker) said.

“He has been through hell,” said Hecker, adding that the negative publicity has hurt Henderson.

However, Henderson is charged with stealing a pair of firefighting boots that he was wearing the night of his arrest.